Hydrangea Plant Named &#39;Supreme White&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea macrophylla  (Thunb.) named ‘White Supreme’ originated as a cutting taken from the patented cultivar ‘Ravel’—U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,152. The cultivar ‘White Supreme’ has white sepals at maturity and is distinguished from other similar cultivars of which the inventor is aware by the unique manner in which the inflorescence ages. As the mature sepals age and turn green they are highly resistant to burning and turning brown. The new variety ‘White Supreme’ further possesses the favorable characteristics of a compact growth habit and long lasting large inflorescences.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The new plant is a variety of Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.).

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new plant has been given the varietal designation ‘Supreme White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the Saxifragaceae family. The botanical name of the plant is Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.). The varietal denomination is ‘White Supreme’.

The new cultivar originated as a sport from the plant Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘Ravel’, which is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,152, granted Dec. 16, 1997. ‘Ravel’ is characterized by the pigmentation pattern of its sepals with the base of the sepals lacking pigmentation and the tips and blades developing more and more color as the inflorescence ages, creating a bi-color inflorescence.

The new cultivar ‘White Supreme’ has been successfully asexually reproduced through three successive generations under controlled environmental conditions at a nursery in Half Moon Bay, Calif. under the direction of the inventor with its distinguishing characteristics remaining stable.

‘White Supreme’ is characterized by its ability to withstand changes in light levels, making it ideal for commercial sale in pots. Its leaves do not easily turn chlorotic or brownish due to fluctuations in light levels. Potted plants for commercial sale are exposed to fluctuating light levels as they are transported and prepared for sale. The new variety is also characterized by the ability of its cuttings to establish roots and to root quickly.

The new variety of Hydrangea as described herein is further characterized by its compact growth habit, and its large, long lasting inflorescences.

Asexual reproduction was first accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initially selected plant. Examination of asexually reproduced, successive generations grown in at Half Moon Bay, Calif. show that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘White Supreme’ remains firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings consist of color photographs that show the typical plant form, including the inflorescence, foliage, and sepals.

The plant shown is approximately 1 years old. The plant started out as a cutting, taken from the stem of a grown plant. Two leaves were attached to the stem cutting. The cutting was placed in a 6″ pot with hydrangea soil that would produce blue pigmentation in Hydrangeas that have pigmentation in their sepals. The cutting was placed under mist for 3 to 4 weeks until the cutting rooted. The cutting was then moved out of the misting area, but left under glass. Once the cutting produced roots, the plant was fertilized approximately twice a week. The plant was kept inside under glass for 4 to 5 more weeks and then moved outside, and fertilized once a week.

FIG. 1 is a view of an entire plant, grown in a 6″ pot, showing its form, compact growth habit, dark green foliage, inflorescence, and white sepals

FIG. 2 is a view of the entire plant showing its form, compact growth habit, dark green foliage, inflorescence, and white sepals

FIG. 3 is a view of the base of the plant of the new variety.

FIG. 4 is a close-up view of the stem of the plant of the new variety.

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the upper side of a leaf of the plant of the new variety.

FIG. 6 is a close-up view taken from above of a mature inflorescence of the new cultivar showing its large inflorescence.

FIG. 7 is a close-up view taken from above of a relatively young inflorescence of the new cultivar.

FIG. 8 is a close-up view taken from above of a an inflorescence of the new cultivar that is more mature than the inflorescence of FIG. 7, but younger than the inflorescence of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a close-up view of the individual florets illustrating the white sepals.

FIG. 10 is a close-up view of an individual non-sepalous floret which is otherwise hidden by the sepalous florets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

‘White Supreme’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. The following is a detailed description of a plant that started as a stem cutting and was grown in a 4″ pot under the prevailing daylengths at Half Moon Bay, Calif. The plants observed were approximately 1 years old. The color determinations were made with The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

-   The plant: -   Origin: sport. -   Parent: Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘Ravel’ which is the subject     of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,152, granted Dec. 16, 1997. -   Classification: Botanic. — Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘White     Supreme’. Commercial. — Florist Hydrangea ‘White Supreme’. -   Form: Upright, compact shrub. A typical plant with a mature     infloresence that is ready for sale is approximately 38 cm high and     has a diameter of 50 cm when grown in a 6″ pot with appropriate soil     amendments. Growth: Upright, vigorous growth habit. Inflorescence is     large. The plant braches easily with shoots forming at the base of     the plant. Lateral branches are similar in appearance and form to     the main stems. -   Stems: Lenticels are present; stems become woody as they age. The     color of typical young stems and young lateral branches is R.H.S.     145 A (green group). Woody stems are R.H.S. 199 A (grey-brown group)     Typical internode length on mature stems and branches is     approximately 1.75″ to 2.5″. -   Foliage: Abundant. Leaves are opposite on stem and lateral branches.     The blades of small mature leaves are approximately 14 cm long and     10 cm wide, while large mature leaves have blades that are as long     as 18 cm long and as wide as 15 cm. Petioles can be as long as     2.5 cm. There can be as many as 5 leaf pairs on a new stem below the     infloresence. Shape of leaf. — Elliptic with an acute apex; margins     are serrate. Texture. — Glabrous; veins dominate on the underside of     the leaf and are sunken on the leaf surface. Color. — Mature leaves     have an upper side that is R.H.S. 139 A (green group); under side is     R.H.S. 147 C (yellow-green group). The veins of mature leaves are     R.H.S. 145 C (yellow-green group) whether viewed from the top or the     bottom of the leaf. Leaves are pinnately veined. The mid vein and     veins branching off the midvein are large and prominent on the     underside of the leaves. -   Buds: -   Form: Globose; with 4 to 5 connate petals. Buds in the very center     of the inflorescence are non-sepalous. The majority of buds have     sepals. They are approximately 1 mm by 1 mm. Very young floret buds     are R.H.S. 145C (yellow-green group). Aspect: Smooth. Arrangement:     Borne on branched panicles. Color: Buds and sepals are R.H.S. 145 C     (yellow-green group), and whiten as the bud matures. -   Inflorescence: -   Form: Paniculate. Terminal. 100 or more individual flowers (florets)     per inflorescence. Both sepalous florets and non-sepalous florets     borne on same panicle with the sepalous florets hiding the     non-sepaolous florets, when the inflorescence reaches maturity. An     infloresence with 100 florets may have as many as 85 sepalous     florets and 15 non-sepalous florets. Flowers do not produce a     fragrance. The peduncle or panicle for the inforescence is strong     and upright, and typically starts branching 1″ above the last main     leaf pair on the stem. Small leaves appear on pedicels low on the     panicle. Color of the peduncle is R.H.S. 145 A (green group).     Pedicels for the individual florets are predominately white (R.H.S.     155D (white group)) at maturity. Pedicels are typically 2 cm to 5 cm     long, branch at many different angles and are approximately 2 mm in     diameter. -   Size of Inflorescence: Large. Individual inflorescence size is     dependent on the number of florets. Typical infloresences can grow     as large as 25 cm in diameter, and 15 cm high above the last full     leaf pair. -   Shape: Clusters of numerous small florets; sepalous florets are flat     and overlapping one another. Sepals are persistent. Sepals elongate     and greens as the inflorescence ages past maturity. Non-sepalous     florets are inconspicuous and hidden by sepalous florets. -   Appearance: Showy. -   Florets: -   General: Sepalous florets are perfect and complete. -   Corrola: Generally there are 4 petals, and if there are 5 petals,     they are all similarly sized. -   Reproductive Organs: Stamens. — 8 to 10 stamens, with most florets     having 8 stamens. Pollen is white — R.H.S. 155D (white group).     Filament is approximately 2 mm long, and color depends on pH of the     soil. Anther is 1 mm long. Anther is regular and basally attached.     Stigma. — Two to three-pronged stigma on one pistil per floret.     Stigma barely protrudes from the ovary. Ovary. — Green in color —     R.H.S. 145 A (yellow-green group); single ovary that is partially     inferior. -   Sepalous florets: Number of sepals. — 4 or 5 sepals per floret,     usually 4. Aspect of sepals. — Smooth. Shape of sepals. — Reniform     with acuminate apex. Edges often wavy when the floret is young. Size     of sepals. — Usually 1 dominant sepal, 2 smaller but equally-sized     sepals, and 1 small sepal. Largest sepal, when sepals are their     whitest is typically 3 cm long and 4 cm wide, the medium sized     sepals are typically 2.6 cm long by 2.8 cm wide, and the smallest     sepals are typically 2.5 cm long and 2.6 cm wide. Coloration of     sepals. — Predominately white (R.H.S. 155D (white group)) at     maturity on both the upper surface and the lower surface. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea macrophylla plant named ‘White Supreme’ substantially as herein shown and described. 